Training for a boxing match requires an athlete to improve on many different levels. The "sweet science" requires body strength, physical conditioning, expert technique and knowledge of strategy for an athlete to succeed. A boxing training program must include elements that build each of these, and drills that combine them into a single cohesive and effective whole.
Road Work
Road work, according to boxing coach Louie Goudy, is the least favorite part of training for many fighters. This is simply running, putting in the cardiovascular exercise needed to go 1 0rounds in the ring. Many fighters run five to 10 miles daily to keep in shape, although few work very much on improving their time and distance.
Dexterity Drills
Fast hands and fast feet are important elements for a boxer, and trainers put in hours of work helping their fighters develop both. Some examples of dexterity drills include footwork patterns, focus mitt work, hand drills and speed bag workouts.
Conditioning
Fighters must condition their bodies constantly, both building strength and simply preparing their bodies for the rigors of being punched by somebody who knows how. Strength training for a boxing program tends to center on weight training and calisthenics, although some boxers are now branching out into yoga and other group fitness techniques. Conditioning for impact usually means getting hit, through a bag or shield and directly. When conditioning for impact, the hitter doesn't try to actually damage the athlete, but does punch hard enough for his partner to feel and react to the blow.
Bag Work
Getting good at punching requires an athlete to practice punching. This is where bag work, a staple of boxing training, comes in. There are three kinds of bag work: heavy bag practice, rhythm practice and accuracy practice. Heavy bag practice is for developing strong punches delivered properly and involve hitting a heavy, often steadied, punching bag as hard as possible. Rhythm practice works on an athlete's timing and speed. Speed bags and combination practice on other kinds of punching bag are common drills for rhythm. Accuracy practice trains a fighter to hit a precise target, often a moving target. There are several models of moving bag available for this purpose. Once common example is the "headache bag" or "jeeter bag," a basketball-sized bag attached to floor and ceiling by a bungee cord. When punched, the bag moves rapidly and erratically and makes for a very difficult target.
Sparring
Sparring is a core part of boxing training, the place where all the elements come together. Some sparring matches are competitive games, where boxers fight to win but try not to injure one another. Others are specifically designed drills where each fighter has a different role intended to help one or both participants develop a particular skill.
Posted in: Boxing Training